Letting Go
by The Red Fedora
Summary: Slightly AU. Sometimes you just have to listen to your heart...and let go.


Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville…just borrowing the characters for this story. The italicized words are quotes from the episode and not mine either.

Author's note: Inspired by the scene at the end of Season 9's episode _Warrior_ and slightly by the roses in the background of the Watchtower in _Persuasion_. I love the pairing of Chloe and Oliver, but I never really bought into the idea that either of them were really into the whole 'just for fun' relationship. Just a one shot for Valentine's Day. Hope you enjoy!

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Chloe had to laugh at the irony of it all as she stepped into the elevator pressed her finger to the bio scanner. She leaned back against the wall as the box shuddered to life and began its assent toward the Watchtower. Her mind couldn't help but take a trip down memory lane after a night like this one had been. Even she had to admit that she had never really had much luck with relationships of a romantic nature. Of the few boys who had show interest in her in high school at least three had tried to kill her, one by leeching her body heat, one strangulation by telekinesis and another by attempting to turn her into a wax figurine. Clark had left her in the middle of their first and only date to save Lana from a twister. Pete had expressed interest but she loved him only as a brother and in the end she had lost him too. Meteor freaks and bad breaks continued to follow her – until she met Jimmy. He had been her once chance at a normal life - until her crusade to save Davis had destroyed him.

It had been a long hard uphill fight to rebuild the shattered pieces of her life, and in all honesty, she wasn't quite sure that she could ever be the same again. She had built a wall around her heart. It was safer that way. As Watchtower she could make a difference. As Chloe….sometimes life hurt too much to deal with. Lois was right though….she couldn't live this way forever. Jimmy wouldn't have wanted her to be alone. He would have wanted her to be happy.

Could she be happy again?

She couldn't help but laugh softly as the result of Lois's advice played through her mind. She had let herself fall for a handsome stranger with superpowers – only to have her heart crushed once more as the handsome stranger turned out to be a ten year old that had been altered by a cursed comic. The funny thing was that she was not too disappointed with the way it had turned out. If she were honest with herself, her walls had already begun to crumble prior to the super boy incident. The trouble was that she did not know if she could fully trust her heart to the one who had unknowingly won it. It was less painful to ignore the feelings and to have him as a friend than to take a chance and be hurt again. She had been down that road a time or two….. and she wasn't sure if she could recover if her heart was broken again.

The elevator slid to a stop and the doors opened. She stepped out and made her way toward the doors to the Watchtower. Her brow creased in confusion as a soft thud sounded from beyond the glass doors. Her lips quirked in a small smile as realization filled her weary mind. Of course he would be here. With the way her day had been going it was too much to ask that she be allowed to return to peace and quiet. With a shake of her head, she pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

Oliver lowered the bow as she closed the doors behind her. Despite her earlier thoughts, Chloe couldn't help but sweep her eyes over his tall form as she crossed the room to the couch behind him. She bantered with him teasingly as she poured herself a drink and then sunk into the soft cushions of her couch. Oliver was watching her with a strange look on his handsome face. It was nearly the same look he had given her a couple weeks before as she patched him up following his unexpected trip through one of the tower's stain glass windows courtesy of Hawkman.

Before her brain could catch up with her mouth, she heard herself recounting Lois's words and recapping her day in not so many words. She knew she was playing with fire, but for some reason she really didn't care at the moment. The conversation grew serious and Chloe felt the melancholy threaten to overtake her thoughts again. But then Oliver quirked an eyebrow at her and the warmth that spread through her had little to do with the scotch in her hand.

_Sometimes it's right in front of your face…you just have to want to see it._

His dark eyes issued a challenge and she had pushed off the couch and accepted his offer to take the bow. He relinquished the bow as she steadied it confidently and leveled the arrow, preparing to draw the string back. Before she could, she felt his hands slide along her arms to rest on hers, steadying the bow. Chloe felt lightheaded as she felt the warmth of his body behind her as he moved closer and her confidence faltered. They were teetering on the edge of something she didn't know if she was ready for.

_How will I know when to let go? _Chloe heard herself whisper.

Her heart began to race as she felt his hand cover hers as it grasped the arrow. His voice was soft, sincere as he replied and she had a feeling he wasn't speaking about the arrow.

_Tell by your heart. Just listen, right there in between the beats. That's when you let go._

Chloe let out a slow breath and released the arrow. She grinned as it hit the inner ring. Not quite a bulls-eye but not bad. She turned her head and looked up at Oliver. The smile on her lips faded slightly as her eyes met his. He raised a hand gently brushed her face with his fingertips. She leaned into his hand as it moved to cradle her face. Something in his eyes told her she could trust him. This was her partner, her best friend, her confidant. Chloe listened to her heart and as his soft warm lips claimed hers, she let go.

Of course with her luck life intervened all too soon. They were in the middle of an increasingly heated kiss when the Watchtower's communication frequency sounded. Cyborg had cracked the code on the latest set of data they had retrieved from LexCorp and had the location on the last of the 33.1 facilities. Time was short and they had to move that night or lose what they had been working toward for so long. Oliver sighed as he pulled her into his arms for one last kiss before he had to leave. He pressed his forehead to hers for a long moment.

"This is real." He murmured huskily. "Just so you know."

Chloe opened her eyes. A warm rush spread through her and a grin spread across her face as she met his dark eyes. "Okay." She whispered.

Oliver claimed her lips once more in a kiss that left her breathless, and then he slowly pulled away and headed for the door.

"Ollie." She said softly.

He turned with a soft smile, his chocolate colored eyes full of warmth.

"Be safe."

He grinned. "See you soon, Sidekick." And then he was gone.

The next day was Valentine's Day and in the midst of the planning and execution of the mission, Chloe had honestly forgotten about it….until the mission was over and the boys were on their way home and the Watchtower was quiet once more. A delivery man appeared at her door with a long box. She accepted the package with a curious smile and set it on the low coffee table. As she slid the top from the floral box, she collapsed onto the couch in a fit of uncontrollable giggles. Nestled in the box were one dozen Jade green roses.

Sometimes love was worth the risk.

Sometimes you just had to listen to your heart…and let go.


End file.
